This Roasted Broccoli is cooked to tender, crispy perfection in the oven. Tossed with olive oil and sea salt, I like it nearly as much as french fries!
The Secret to Perfect Roasted Broccoli
To make roasted broccoli, start by chopping your broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces. The smaller the broccoli pieces, the faster and crispier they will cook. Cut larger broccoli stems in half, for crisp results that will melt in your mouth.
Cutting the broccoli stems in half, and making the pieces similar in size will ensure that everything cooks evenly. Smaller pieces will be done before the larger pieces otherwise.
Transfer the chopped broccoli to a large baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over the top. If you like garlic, use a microplane to mince 1 to 2 cloves of garlic over the broccoli, and season generously with fine sea salt. This method saves you from cleaning an extra dish later.
How to Roast Broccoli in the Oven
Use your hands to toss everything together, making sure the broccoli is evenly coated, then spread it into a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake at 400ºF until lightly golden and crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes.
I could eat an entire pan of this roasted broccoli on my own, so I recommend making plenty if you’re serving multiple people. (My 2-year-old daughter can eat half the pan herself!)
How to Make Broccoli Palatable
If you have a family of picky eaters like I do, and want to make broccoli taste more appealing, try topping it with a squeeze of lemon juice and some grated parmesan cheese for extra flavor. That combination is addictive in my house! You can use cheddar cheese if you prefer a more mild flavor, or try topping it with some of my vegan queso for a healthy cheese sauce.
You can also top it with avocado pesto, vegan special sauce, or chimmichurri sauce for a mouth-watering side dish.
Is Roasted Broccoli Healthy?
Roasted broccoli makes an excellent side dish for a healthy meal. If you practice food combining, broccoli is considered neutral, so it pairs well with practically any meal you love for streamlined digestion.
While you do lose some water-soluble vitamins when cooking any vegetable, I still think eating roasted veggies is a healthy choice– especially if you’re choosing them over something that would be deep-fried, like French fries. Just make sure you go light on the oil so that you don’t add too much fat and calories to the overall meal.
How Do You Cook Frozen Broccoli?
If you don’t have fresh broccoli on hand and would prefer to start with frozen, you can roast frozen broccoli, too. To do so, start with a higher oven temperature of 450ºF then arrange the broccoli on a greased baking sheet. Cook it until it’s starting to brown around the edges, then toss it with any seasonings you like. (They will melt off with the ice if you add them right away.)
Return the broccoli to the oven to brown until it’s to your liking. You can turn the broiler on to speed up the crisping process. Keep in mind that frozen broccoli is slightly more tender than using fresh, but it’s also typically more affordable, so I think it’s a great option.
How To Roast Broccoli (1-Minute Video):
How to Roast Broccoli (Perfect Every Time!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli , cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic , minced (optional)
- sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place the chopped broccoli on a large baking sheet, and drizzle it with the olive oil.
- Use a microplane to mince the garlic over the broccoli, and season generously with salt and use your hands to toss it together evenly. (You can leave out the garlic if you don't care for it.) Spread the broccoli evenly into a single layer on the pan, then place it in the oven.
- Roast until the broccoli is golden and tender, about 15 to 20 minutes, then serve warm.
Video
Nutrition
Roasted Broccoli Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 102, Fat: 7g, Carbohydrates: 8g, Fiber: 2g, Protein: 3g
Recipe Notes:
- This recipe can be adapted to use anything you have on hand. It works well with other vegetables, like cauliflower, and with other oils. Feel free to season it to your taste!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite way to eat broccoli?
WAY better than chips:)
WOW! These are seriously good! I’ve just had the whole tray and want more:-)
Thank you so much for posting incredible recipes! I made your grain free pizza last night which was AMAZING! So glad I found your blog.
Aww, thanks for the sweet comment. 🙂 Glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
I see no pictures?
Thanks for pointing that out! This is an old recipe, so the pictures must have gotten lost when I transferred my blog over a year ago! I’ll try to update them as soon as possible.
Hi Megan,
I stumbled upon your website a few weeks ago as I was trying to find a website that would tell me how to make almond butter. I didn’t want to pay the ridiculous prices for raw almond butter in British Columbia, Canada. I have recently been put on a extremely restrictive diet by my naturopath as I have developed a lot of allergies throughout my life. Since I saw your recipe for almond butter I have made it a second time and it doesn’t turn out as creamy as your picture shows as it turns into a big ball so I’m not sure if I’ve done something wrong. It is still really good.
Thank you so much for your recipes as it will make the next several months a lot easier for me to actually eat different things even though I have a lot of restrictions.
I wish you the best of health in 2013
Hi Kelly! You may not be giving your almond butter enough time in the food processor– mine usually turns into a big ball, and then I let it process for another 5-10 minutes before it turns creamy. You just have to be patient!
Okay, thanks so much. I will try that.
Amazing – made this tonight and my husband and I polished off the entire plate so quickly! Thanks for another keeper Megan!
Hmmm – did I do something wrong? My roasted broccoli was not crispy? Is it supposed to be? Maybe I used too much EVOO or minced garlic? Mine was soft like steamed broccoli.
It maybe that you need to roast your broccoli longer, or that the broccoli was too close together on the pan– they can start to steam from released moisture if they get too crowded. It should be crispy on the edges, and tender on the inside.
I would suggest a higher heat and less time. I do mine at 425-440 for about 7 min. Gets slightly charred flavor but doesn’t have a chance to steam the veggie through so it’s still crisp/fresh.
wow!! that was beyond amazing. i dont like my veggies cooked, let alone broccoli, but this was so good, i wish i had another broccoli head to roast up.
thank you!
hey Megan,
do you mean 425 degrees celsius or farenheit or kalvin 😀 or what, cause 425 celsius is QUITE a lot!:)
Fahrenheit!
thanks for replying;)))
have a great day!
Hello Megan,
OMG, so glad I found this site. I suffer from Endo and IC, I can not wait to feel better. I know the Candida in overdrive. I am going to do a juice fast for about 3-4 weeks, then I will be trying out these recipes. However, today I will be making the strawberry shake and broccoli chips. Thanks again for this Site.
BTW, do you have any suggestions or comments about on the juice fast?
Luv it!
10 + !!! I made them tonight for the first time, everybody looooved them.such a simple recipe, yet fabulous! thanks a lot
Going to try tossing them in truffle oil instead of coconut and garlic. We shall see!
This recipe is great. I make it for our family and for potluck. It really satisfies salt and carb cravings
Hi! Can I use cauliflower instead?
Of course!
Thanks Megan!
I have made this recipe three times in the past week for my 5-year-old son and each time he begs me to make more! Love it!!!
Thank you for this recipe. So simple, but so good! I love broccoli already but was needing a change and a way for my kids to enjoy it! Problem solved. I keep a strict diet to keep candida at bay (among other things) and our blog is an inspiration and has certainly kept diet boredom from creeping in. Thank you so much!
I have a bag of frozen broccoli on hand. Will that work?
Hi I do not have a website but I ove your sight I am addicted to it. Have been cooking Paleo style for the last 4 weeks and am soo excited about all the nice receipts.
Keep them coming.
I love the Cauliflower rice even my son is on it now.
thank you xxxxx
Ute
I have just discovered your site. A friend recommended your recipes and I am in Pinterest heaven. I can not wait to try so many of them. Anyways… I do relatively the same thing with cauliflower. Drizzle with oil and minced garlic, dash of salt, and dash of parmesan for anyone who is having dairy. I bake mine at 300 degrees for 45-50 min. I bet even a broccoli and cauliflower mix would be tasty. There are never leftovers.
I do not use any oil. Have you tried ground cashews or sunflower seeds with the garlic…or without the oil and just the garlic?
Curious, why do you have a rule against oil but not high fat things like cashews and seeds? It’s true that most vegetable oils are garbage– but not coconut, olive or avocado oils in moderation. Ghee and pasture raised animal fats are also great.
This is really interesting re: “hack and hold” to optimize broccoli nutrients or using mustard powder. A good read!
https://nutritionfacts.org/2016/02/09/how-to-cook-broccoli/
This is the ONLY way I make broccoli now. I love how it’s tender with crispy edges! My 2 year old eats it like potato chips, and that makes this mama happy!
Doubled the garlic…Yum! Thank you for posting.
So good. This is so simple but delicious! Pretty much the only way I make broccoli lately.